Fighting
by zitaos
Summary: Complicated love. asdfghjkl; I don't even know. Just read and review please. ;A; Rei/Kei/Miku. :D Rating will be raised in later chapters.
1. Give Her Time

"Do you want me to go buy some dinner from the market?" the man asked, smiling warmly at the two women sitting on the couch in front of him.

"You'd do that?" Rei yawned as she faced the TV. Miku was leaning on her shoulder, unaware of her pet cat, Ruri, clawing at her feet.

"I'm more than willing," Kei chirped. He took his jacket and his car keys, then he sprinted out the door, giving the two a casual farewell on his way out.

Once he was gone, Miku eased herself and stood up on her feet, gently tugging down onto the bottom hem of her skirt.

"Where are you going?" Rei mumbled as she looked up at the brunette with her partly-closed eyes.

"Rei, I need to talk to you. It's about... Kei."

She adjusted her eyes on the petite figure, trying her best to give her full attention. "What about him?" she sighed.

Miku cleared her throat. "Do you... like him?" she finished with a cough.

Rei stretched out her arms and chuckled. "Like him? Huh, like..."

"I'm serious," Miku muttered as her right hand started balling into a fist. "Do you?"

The older woman stopped laughing. "I didn't know you'd be so concerned about me and him all of a sudden.. Why do you ask?"

"I, uh- Well..."

"You think I've moved on? Me forget Yuu? Ha, when will that ever happen?" Rei laughed softly as she crossed her arms. "I can't let him go, Miku. It's been, I don't know, four months already. Look at me now. I'm a mess, dear. I still haven't picked up from where I left off at work. I haven't even put away his things yet. Four months, Miku. Four useless months of nothing."

"Remember when Kei woke up from the same dream we all had?"

"Yes." She fidgeted with her fingers, trying to stay awake.

"It meant the world to him when he knew he was alive," Miku sighed.

"How so?"

"Because you saved him. And you saved me, too. You saved his niece. You saved whoever else was suffering. You set the souls free from the House of Sleep, Rei. That means _everything_ to not only him, but to me as well." Miku inhaled sharply as her left hand balled into another fist. "Because guess what, Rei?"

"What, Miku? What?"

The words seemed almost impossible to choke out. "He _loves_ you," she whispered hoarsely, fighting back the tears. "And he wanted to live for you. He wanted to fulfill the promise he made to Yuu, and he wanted to keep fighting. It meant everything to him when you saved us all from the curse."

Rei just stared at Miku with an emotionless face. Her face was straight and tired, and she knew she didn't want to deal with anything like this.

"What promise..?" she asked curiously, fighting herself to stay awake.

"The promise that he would protect you, no matter what." Miku clenched her fists tighter, trying to keep all the anger inside.

"P-protect me? I don't need his protection. I don't _want _his protection."

Miku eased herself a little. "Why?"

"What does he think I am, a little girl? I'm twenty-three, and he sends one of his best friends to protect me?" This made Rei furious, and soon enough, she was fully awake. "That's complete nonsense right there, Miku."

"Rei, are you okay? You don't seem too well at the moment..." Miku bent down until her eyes met Rei's, then she reached forward to feel Rei's forehead.

In one blink of an eye, she found herself being cradled on Rei's lap. Rei tickled her neck with her nose and whispered, "Let's sleep now. I'm tired."

"But Rei-"

"I'm _tired."_

Miku shivered as she felt Rei's warm breath against her own skin. A tingly sensation ran up her spine, and she fought hard to keep it in.

"Rei."

The 23-year-old woman's eyes fluttered open. "What now, Miku?"

"Are you sure you haven't moved on yet?"

"We'll see," Rei whispered. She squeezed Miku's hand tightly, and with that, her eyes remained closed for the rest of the evening.

Miku had mixed feelings.

She was sad. Disappointed. Yet she was still pleased.

_So what if she hadn't let go of Yuu yet? _she thought to herself.

_As long as you're happy with whoever you end up with, I'm fine._

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><p>"She hasn't moved on yet?" Kei exclaimed from across the counter as he continued to eat his ramen furiously.<p>

"Unfortunately," Miku said. "And it's already been four months." She continued to pick at her bowl of rice, showing a look of concern on her face.

"We have to give her time, Miku. Yuu's death really hit her hard, so..."

"So what?" she whispered as she slammed her cup on the counter. She slanted her eyes and looked to the right, avoiding Kei's worried stare.

"We just... have to accept that she's not moving on," he muttered.

Miku jerked her head to face Kei again. "You're just gonna... give up like that?" She looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"N-no," he groaned. "I'm just being considerate." His eyes started to close as he gazed upon the living room. A sigh escaped his lips, and he wasn't sure if he should leave.

Kei sat down next to Miku and reached out to pat her hand. She looked at him and studied the sharpness of his face, imagining what his skin felt like. It looked unseemingly and impossibly smooth.

"C-can I touch your..." she stuttered, pointing at his cheek.

"My face? Uh, I don't see why not.." Kei looked straight ahead, waiting for Miku's fingers to somehow dance upon his skin.

And so they did.

His skin was just how she imagined it. It was just as smooth as Rei's pale complexion, or perhaps even smoother. She pulled her hand away before she could touch his face some more and possibly ruin it with what germs could be infested on her.

They looked at each other, and not. The silence between them continued to linger.

And then, in unison, they sighed. "I just want her to be happy."

Miku's eyes widened as she looked at Kei. His eyes were serious, and his smile was nowhere to be seen. But she knew it was hidden down in the depths of the world.

It was there.

"I should get going now. Mio's waiting at home," he coughed. "Have a good night, Miku."

"You too," she sighed. "And Kei..."

The man glanced at her as he took out his jacket from his backpack.

"Will you come back tomorrow?"

"I can't promise that... but I'll try. Sleep well, alright?"

"No promises." Miku winked, and he chuckled.

And once again, he was out the door.

_I'll look forward to seeing you again._

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><p><strong>AN: Greetings, my wonderful readers. This was a plot bunny I couldn't get off my mind, so I decided to write about it.**

**It's not a oneshot; it will be continued.**

**Anyways, in case you haven't caught on, this is all about Rei/Kei/Miku. My favorite threesome, aha.**

**What's the whole purpose of this? It's a very complicated love triangle. :'D Wonderful, right?**

**Any ideas I should use? ;A; I think I have some, but I wanna hear what you think too, so.**

**Next chapter will be up soon. I promise. ^^**


	2. Comfort

**A/N: HIII. :D Told you I'd update this. :B Did I mention this was gonna be short? No? Well it is, so yeah. Anyways, enjoy the second-to-last chapter. ;A;**

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><p>"He's coming over again?" Rei hissed as she watched the snow blanket the earth surrounding her house.<p>

"Is there a problem with that?" Miku asked, wiping her hands with a dry towel. She was wearing a mud-brown knee-length denim skirt over a pair of nude stockings with a beige sweater hat Rei had bought her not too long ago. The dark red barette her grandmother had given her was pinned on the right side of her head, bundling all of her long brown hair in a small bun.

"I just think he comes here a little too much. Doesn't he have his own house? And a niece to take care of?' she groaned. Rei wore a long pair of black suit-pants that hugged her curves perfectly along with a dark blue turtleneck made out of wool. Her black choker remained hidden, but her necklace hung in place over her top.

"He just likes to drop by. It's nice enough to know that he cares," the brunette said. She walked to the front door and opened it slowly, putting her right hand out to feel the snow melt slowly in her warm palm.

Just then, Kei pulled over and smiled at the sight of Miku standing alone at the doorway. He stopped the engine and greeted her with a bow, along with a tiny black box. The man was wearing his infamous tight jeans, along with a pair of black mittens, a brown turtleneck, a huge navy blue ski jacket, and a scarf that Miku had remembered Mio knitting one time.

Miku's eyes widened. "Is th-that what I think it is?" she stuttered, keeping her eyes glued to the box.

He chuckled, "Oh, it's not like that. Just a box of chocolates, that's all." Kei grinned, then he took Miku's hand and placed the box on the tiny puddle of melted snowflakes. "It's for you."

"Thank you," she beamed, taking his hand and pulling him into the warm and inviting house. Kei stopped himself in the middle of the hallway, staring deeply into Miku's chestnuts. She closed her eyes, feeling his cold breath fog her cheeks.

"Did you really think I was going to... propose to her?" he breathed, entwining his fingers around hers.

"N-no," she muttered. And she was glad he wasn't.

They stood alone for a while, staring into each other's eyes. The staring got intense, and soon enough, Miku blinked. Her eyes were watery and they started to sting. She lifted her free hand and tried to wipe them, but Kei grabbed her hand just in time and wiped her tears away with his right thumb, slowly caressing her right cheek.

"Are you okay?" he asked, taking his hand away from her soft, delicate face. Miku sighed as she looked away to avoid eye contact with the older man.

"I'm fine," she declared, instantly feeling weak inside as he flashed her another smile. They locked their arms together and walked into the living room, bowing to Rei who was hopelessly watching traffic reports on TV.

"That should be me," she muttered, staring at the blurred face of the victim of a recent car accident. "Why the hell is she even driving in the snow? I should have thought of that. This motherfu-"

Kei let go of Miku's arm and walked to Rei's side, gripping her shoulder gently as she continued to mumble to herself. "What the hell do you want now?"

"I brought you chocolates," he beamed, giving a small blue box that seemed to be much bigger than Miku's.

"Oh." Rei took the box and stared at it with awe, studying the texture of the ribbon used to wrap it together. She opened it slowly, smiling weakly at the candies that sat in front of her. They were her favorites: dark chocolate truffles.

But something about them bugged her. They were in the shape of a heart, and she despised them ever since Yuu died.

She hated everything that had to do with love.

Everything.

"Kei, you know you didn't have to do this.. But thank you." Rei closed the box and set it on the table, then she continued to watch the new traffic reports coming on TV.

Miku stood alone in the kitchen, staring at the box of chocolates in the palm of her hand with disappointment. It had less chocolates, and it was her least favorite kind in the world.

Caramel.

It was too sweet and sticky for her taste, and it reminded her greatly of the time when she first ate it alongside her brother.

The time when she used to like it.

The time when she used to like everything in her life.

But the decisions her remaining family had made were stupid. Thoughtless. Cruel.

Her mother spent more time with that stupid camera than her, which led to her sudden planned death.

And Mafuyu... cared more about a ghost who barely even knew him. He knew Miku needed him way more than she did, but he still chose Kirie over her anyway.

Life was cruel. But she still held on to it, no matter how painful it was.

She would continue to fight for it until her last dying breath.

Unlike Rei, who was now ripping her hair out of her head.

"Why did this happen in the first place? Why is it all my fault? Why do I have to live with all this pain?" she sobbed, clutching onto a very dusty pillow. She could feel two arms wrap around her shoulders, giving her all the comfort she needed.

The young photographer continued to sob, letting the journalist hold her tightly without letting her go. He wanted to be there by her side, through every step of the way. So he never left.

Well, he at least tried not to.

Rei stopped crying and looked behind her, only to find Kei still holding onto her. She wriggled free and threw the pillow at him, screaming, "Why are you even here, huh? Who told you to come here without my permission? This is _my _house, Kei. You can't just visit whenever you want. Ever heard of privacy? I need that, not you. I don't need you at all. I don't. Want. You."

"But Rei, I'm just trying to he-"

"If you want to help, then get the hell out of here. Now." She pointed to the door, waiting impatiently for the man to leave. Her hair was a mess, and all of her clothes were stained with tears and sweat that had come from all the stress she was dealing with.

"I just wanted to be nice and help you get through-"

"Well maybe you're too nice," she whispered, staring at Kei with tears building up in her eyes. She sunk into the couch and held the pillow to her face, cursing to herself.

Miku glared at Rei for the millionth time this evening, disappointed at her sudden misbehavior. She darted her eyes to Kei and shook her head uncertainly. "She wasn't like this before, trust me. Rei's just having a hard.. time.."

"OUT!" Rei yelled at the top of her lungs, throwing the box of chocolates at Kei. The man stared at her awkwardly for a while, then he picked up the box and most of the chocolates on the floor, rearranging them. He re-tied the bow to secure the top in place and sighed, walking out the door with whatever he came with.

Once the door was shut, Miku rolled her hands into balled fists and turned her whole body slowly to stare at the mess on the couch.

"What you did was unforgivable," she choked. "How could you do that to a man who would do _anything _for you? A man who risked his life to save you from these nightmares? The only man who was there to lend a shoulder to lean on?" She picked up the remaining pieces of chocolate and squished them with her fingertips. "And _this_ is how you pay him back?"

"Miku, you don't understand." Rei turned her head, showing her makeup-stained face to the young woman. She shivered as she exhaled, still holding onto the now-stained pillow.

"Understand what, exactly?"

"I don't deserve someone like him. He's too kind, too caring... He's just like Yuu. And I don't want to be with him because I'll feel like I'm replacing Yuu with a man who is exactly like him. Do you see why I don't need him now?"

Miku could feel the words try to roll off her tongue. Words she had never spoken before. It was no use trying to keep them in. "_That..._ is complete... crap." The way she said the last word sounded so weak and full of effort. "This is a sign, Rei. If he wants you, then let him have you. Because you know what?"

"_WHAT, _Miku?"

"You might _never _find a man like him again," she finished, falling to the ground with tears forming in her eyes.

The older woman stood up from the couch and walked over to Miku's side, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. Miku tried to push her away, but she held her too strong.

"Miku... I see the look in your eyes every time you see him," she chuckled. Miku shook her head furiously, still attempting to push Rei off of her as her tears continued to flood from her eyes.

"You don't know anything, Rei." She took the sleeve of her sweater and wiped away her tears, feeling a burn over her eyes.

Rei pulled her closer, wrapping the other arm around her shoulders. She kissed her housemate gently on her forehead, feeling her own tears trickle down her face. "Do you love me?" she whispered hoarsely, holding onto Miku even tighter.

"What?"

"Do you love me?" she repeated, sounding as clear as day. She finally let go of Miku, letting the young woman spring up to her feet.

"I did, Rei. I did." Miku wiped her face one more time, letting her face become free of the taste of saltiness. Rei chuckled as she studied Miku's petite and adorable face. She placed her hands on her cheeks, feeling the surface of her face. It was smooth and pleasing to the touch, so she continued to run her thumbs over her skin.

"If you want him, go chase him. He's waiting for you." The nineteen-year-old pecked Rei's cheek with her lips and smiled, embracing her one last time.

"Thank you so much," she whispered, their foreheads pressed against each other.

They didn't realize it at first, but they knew their lips were locked together, giving each other that same tingly feeling they had felt before.

As they pulled away from each other, a tiny string of saliva still bonded them together. Miku automatically wiped it off her mouth, blushing uncontrollably.

"Here, put this on," Rei said, grabbing a winter beanie from her camera bag. She placed it on Miku's head gently and adjusted it until it fit properly.

"You look wonderful," she declared as she looked at her assistant from head-to-toe. The two walked together to the front door, and before Miku head out, the older woman could only wish her good luck.

And nothing more.

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><p><strong>AN: FAAACK, THE CHAPTER IS FINISHED. ;A; I think it's too dramatic and boring.**

**Anywaays, the next chapter will be here soon. :s Thank you for reading so far. cx**


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